Lew Gaiter, Colorado commissioner who sought GOP gubernatorial nod, dies
FORT COLLINS – A northern Colorado county commissioner who sought the Republican nomination for governor this year has died.
Larimer County Commissioner Lew Gaiter’s family said he died at home late Tuesday at the age of 58. Gaiter was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, almost a decade ago.
Gaiter in August said he had decided to stop chemotherapy treatments after doctors found that the cancer was accelerating.
Gaiter was appointed to the county commission in 2010. Voters also gave him two full terms in the seat. This year, he sought the Republican nomination for governor but lost at the GOP assembly.
Gaiter’s wife and nine children are planning a memorial.
County officials credited Gaiter for helping develop a five-year strategic plan, promoting rural broadband access and supporting economic development work.
With the deadline missed, Bureau of Reclamation plans to move forward on Colorado River operations
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 7 hours ago
Feb. 14 was no Valentine for the seven states of the Colorado River, which failed to come up with an agreement by that deadline on how to manage the river beginning Oct. 1. The Department of the Interior and the...
Democrat Shannon Bird qualifies by petition for primary ballot in Colorado’s toss-up 8th CD
Ernest Luning
ernest.luning@coloradopolitics.com
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Colorado Supreme Court accepts cases about reliability of gun-to-bullet matching
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 6 hours ago
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State Rep. Peña outlines significant inequalities in Colorado’s school finance law | A LOOK BACK
Rachael Wright, Special to Colorado Politics
rachael.wright@coloradopolitics.com
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Forty-Five Years Ago This Week: In a guest column published in The Colorado Statesman, House Minority Leader Rep. Federico Peña, D-Denver, wrote that his greatest disappointment with the legislative process was “the inability, or unwillingness, of the General Assembly to...
Colorado Politics Calendar Feb. 16-22
Rachael Wright, Special to Colorado Politics
rachael.wright@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
CoPo’s weekly political calendar will help you find political and public-policy events throughout Colorado. It includes candidate and issue campaign events, public policy meetings, court hearings, state and local party conventions, assemblies, debates, rallies, parades, speaking engagements, traveling dignitary appearances,...
Michael Bennet and ‘the question’ | SONDERMANN
Eric Sondermann
eric-sondermann@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 hours ago
The train usually runs only one way. The route goes from the state Capitol to Washington, D.C. State legislators become members of Congress; governors become senators. See Hickenlooper, John. Including our junior senator, no matter his years, a total of...
Colorado District Attorneys unveil 2026 legislative priorities | WHAT’S YOUR AGENDA?
Marissa Ventrelli
marissa.ventrelli@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
Welcome to What’s Your Agenda?: The Colorado Politics’ weekly publication of trade association priorities for the state’s 2026 legislative session. The Colorado District Attorneys’ Council provides training, resources, and legislative support to every prosecutor in the state. In order to...
A day in the life of the Capitol: Capitol M | Week of Feb. 14, 2026
Marianne Goodland
marianne.goodland@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 2 days ago
The lighter side of the Capitol, usually. If you were walking around the Capitol on Feb. 12, there was plenty to see and to be amused (or delighted) by. Let’s start with the high school kids from Greeley’s District 6....
Appeals court clarifies what materials judges may rely on for postconviction decisions
Michael Karlik
michael.karlik@coloradopolitics.com
Updated 1 day ago
Colorado’s second-highest court clarified on Thursday that trial judges who are deciding whether to grant relief to convicted defendants may rely on the materials attached to, or referenced in, the parties’ arguments. In contrast to direct appeals of criminal convictions,...
Here’s what to know about the Homeland Security shutdown starting this weekend
Deborah Grigsby
deborah.smith@denvergazette.com
Updated 1 day ago
Another shutdown for parts of the federal government is expected this weekend, following an impasse over funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security amid a push by Democrats for changes in immigration enforcement. Funding for the federal agency is set to...
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